Calm before the store!
Some people run away to join the circus but so inspired was I after our Green and Sustainable Producers dinner I’m in a quandary… should I run off to be an oyster farmer like Rob Moxham or a Black Angus beef farmer like Sally and Ian Vivers… or maybe a migratory bee keeper like Tim Malfroy – that seemed truly idyllic? What to do!
It was a remarkable night and these were 3 remarkable farmers, true artisans at heart with the strongest commitment you can imagine to their produce, the environment and the future. Behind their passion we discovered several generations of sweat, resiliance and knowledge.
Whilst eating their most amazing food we learnt how to be better consumers:
- buy less but better quality and stay out of the supermarkets
- get to know your providores, build relationships with them and demand better produce from good suppliers
- be prepared to pay a little more knowing you are being part of a building movement towards sustainable ethical farming – the only way to secure the future of Australian farming
- Understand and appreciate that we have the some of the best produce in the world available to us. People in the EU pay so much more for produce we take for granted – they understand what it is like to have it and lose it.
I doubt anyone in the room left that night feeling anything but privileged to meet and be inspired by these farmers…not to mention eat their produce, deliciously prepared as simple as possible by our head chef, Dan Bell, and his team. Here is what we ate:
Freshly Shucked Broken Bay Oysters 3 ways (Harvested from the Hawkesbury just hours beforehand):
- Natural
- Tomato Consomme & Baby Basil Shooters
- Beer Battered w Lemon Aioli
Eaglehawk Black Angus Beef two ways:
- Slow Roasted Beef Short Ribs with hand rolled pasta and gremolata
- Whole BBQ Beef Fillet and red wine jus with platters of roasted heirloom market vegetables.
Malfroys Honey served 2 ways:
- Fresh Honeycomb with Gippsland Blue
- Honey parfait with New Season Figs and Roasted Pistachios
And here are some pics although I was so absorbed in Tim Malfroy’s talk about honey… I simply forgot to pick up my camera…sorry!
The tables set, ready to go
Magnificent oysters from Rob Moxham at Broken Bay Oysters
The crowds begin to arrive
Rob tells us his story
Beer battered Broken Bay Oysters
Ian Vivers from Eaglehawk Black Angus Beef
Slow braised Black Angus short ribs with Chef Dan's handrolled pasta
Wooden boards laden with balsamic roasted vegetables
Malfroys Gold Fresh Honeycomb and Gippsland Blue ready for the tables
Malfroys Gold Honey Parfait with Grilled Figs and Roasted Pistachios
I didnt know about this – woud have been & would be interested in this sort of thing ! So put me on the list luv !
Nikki
x
Event looks fantastic and would love to attend in future. Are you able to cover a recipe for the balsamic roasted veggies on your blog in future.
Dear Rachel,
Keep your eye out for our next event after the new year. If you look back a few posts you will find the roughly the same recipes we used that night – my favourite is the asparagus, an unusual way of cooking it but delicious – plus perfectly in season now. Do a search for ‘steak’ and you should find it quickly!